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Commanders of New Brunswick's Navy in 
the War of the Revolution. 



• •• 13 T ••• , 

JOHN P. WALL. 



Reprinted from the Minutes of the New Hrunswick Historical Club, 
Meeting of January 19, 1905. 



THE TIMES PUBLISHINO COMPANY. 
190.5 



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Commanders of New Brunswick's Navy in 
the War of the Revolution. 



At the outbreak of the Revolution we 
find the citizens of New Jersey as- 
sembling in New Brunswick for the 
purpose of formulating plans for the 
protection and support of the new- 
born Republic. The different counties 
of the State honored the old town on 
the Raritan by making ii the meeting 
place of the first Provincial Council of 
the State, thereby marking it as one 
of the spots that should become fam- 
ous in the annais of New Jersey and 
American history during this soul-stir- 
ring period, but for some unaccount- 
able reason, after this meeting the 
name of New Brunswick scarcely ap- 
pears on the pages of our country's his- 
tory. This is not as it should be, for 
this old Dutch town played its part, 
and played it well, notwithstanding the 
fact that it harbored within its walls 
an element, wealthy and aristocratic, 
who exerted an overshadowing influ- 
ence over their less fortunate neigh- 
bors, with the result that it was almost 
impossible to tell "who were for or 
against the patriotif' cause. Those of 
wealth were avowed Tories, and were 
to be feared, and although New Bruns- 
wick has always held its own in the 
patriotic cause, it must be admitted 
that a number of its citizens who took 
the oath of alle^'ance. were ever 
treacherous subjects of a Repub- 
lic they iiad sworn to support. 

When this fact is taken into consid- 
eration, it seems beyond reason to be- 
lieve that New Brunswick should be- 
come the harbor from which a band of 
patriots sped forth from night after 
night to harass the enemy and de- 



stroy its shipping along the Long Is- 
land and New Jersey shore. Yet this 
is so, and I have taken the liberty to 
style the men who undertook those en- 
terprises as the "Commanders of New 
Brunswick's Navy in the Revolution." 

They were Captains Marriner, Hyler, 
Dickie and Storer, and although they 
were not connected directly with the 
army or naval arms of the Republic, 
they made such havoc along the coast 
that their names became a byword. A 
few of their exploits will show the 
manner in which they conducted their 
campaign. 

On June 11, 1777, Marriner and Lieu- 
tenant John Schenck, of the militia, 
and twenty-six picked men, crossed 
from New Brunswick to Flatbush in 
tw^o flat bottom boats, arriving at their 
destination about eleven o'clock in the 
evening, ivlarriner states that the rea- 
son this season was chosen was be- 
cause there w^as no fishing on the 
beach at night. Twenty-iour of the 
party landed and two were left to take 
care of the boats. The party marched 
to the church unobserved, and divided 
into four squaas. determined to take 
Colonel Axtell. Mayor Matthews, who 
divided his time between the village 
and Wew York city, and Messrs. Sher- 
brook and Bache. Each party was sup- 
plied with a heavy post for breaking 
doors. It was agreed that when the 
party detached for Colonel Axtell 
struck his door, each party should do 
the same at the other houses. This 
was done to admiration and every door 
yielded at the first stroKO. Colonel 
Axtell and Mayor Matthews were in 



New York, but Sherbrook and Bache 



were taken. There was a bitter feel- 
ing between bherbrook and Marriner 
and as a sort of a balm for past injur- 
ies appropriated ail of Sherbrook's be- 
longings as his share of the plunder. 
Sherbrook resided at the house of Geo. 
Martense. At the first stroke on the 
aoor, he fled to the garret, where he 
was found benind a large Dutch chim- 
ney, with his breeches in his hand. He 
was taken to the church, the place of 
rendezvous, where he put on his 
clothes, and aiier the men were mus- 
tered, all returned to the boats about 
daybreak, arriving in New Brunswick 
without further incident. 

Some time after Marriner made an- 
other attack. At his landing he left ' 
his boats under guard of five men, | 
while ne visited the interior, but the j 
guard hearing a firing, which was kept 
up on Marriner by the Flatbush 
guards, while he was taking his pris- 
oners, concluded that he was taken, ' 
so without ceremony, they took one of 
the boats and made their escape. The 
o'her boat, as Marriner reached the 
shore, was just going adrift. The 
I arty was much crowded in her, but it 
was fortunately very calm, otherwise 
the boat could not have weathered it. 
Marriner's party staid over two hours 
in Flatbush, for they were there some 
time before an alarm was given, and 
there was afterward time to dispatch 
an express to Brooklyn, who brought 
a detachment of the 35th Regiment un- 
der the command of Captain Drew. 
Marriner had wished to liberate his 
friend, Captain John Flahaven, of the 
New Jersey militia, who was billeted 
on Jacob Suydam, but as he had chang- 
ed quarters Lieutenant Forrest was 
taken in his stead. One of the most 
noted prisoners captured by Marriner 
was taken on this raid in the person of 
Major Moncrieff, of the British army. 
He took his capture in the best of spir- 
its, and said that it was one of the 
chances of war and as it was his mis- 
fortune to fall into the hands of the 
enemy, he was going to make the best 
of the situation. He was the father of 
the famous beauty, and first love of 



Aaron Burr, Marguerite Moncrieff, who 
later married John Coglon, an officer 
in the British service. Her married life 
was not of the most pleasant kind, so ' 
she left Coglon, went to London and 
later became one of the most noted 
characters in Europe, spending most ; 
of her time in Paris. | 

It was deemed impossible for Marri- ' 
ner to march to Flatbush unobserved 
by the people. Therefore those who 
knew or had seen the party were ac- 
cused of treason, for not giving the 
alrm. Col. Van Brunt, his brother Ad- 
raiu. Rem Van Pelt, his brother Aert, 
were taken on suspicion and confined 
separately in the provost. Col. VanBrunt 
when arrested, took the precaution of 
providing himself with a purse of gold, 
and inquired of the sergeant of the 
provost if he could furnish him good 
provisions for breakfast, dinner and 
supper. The sergeant said yes, he was 
given a guinea and sent the fare by 
his wife. The colonel also gave her 
a guinea to provide food for his fel- 
low prisoners and inquired how they 
fared. The woman returned and said 
they were fearful and sad. The col- 
onel begged of the sergeant an oppor- 
tunity of seeing his neighbors private- 
ly. They were brought in about mid- 
night, and agreed to deny all knowl- 
edge of the affair. At the examination, 
which was separate, all agreed in their 
story. Nothing appeared against them 
so they were discharged. The ser- 
geant and his wife received a liberal 
reward for their kindness. 

On November 3, 1778, Marriner with 
seven men of I ord Stirling's division 
landed at New Utrecht and brought off 
Simon and Jacques Cortelyou, two fa- 
mous Tories, specie and other prop- 
erty to the amount of $5,000. The pri- 
soners were taken to New Brunswick 
wherp they were paroled and later on 
exchanged for two officers of the New 
Jersey line. Marriner kept up this 
method of warfare whenever opportu- 
nity afforded, until he was finally cap- 
tured and paroled. 

William Marriner was a shoemaker 
by trade, but at the outbreak of hos- 
tilities joined Lord Stirling's regiment. 



He was of a most daring and adventur- 1 
ous spirit and as a result was given a 
free swing in his manner of harrassing ' 
the British. In this his success was ] 
phenomenal, but like everything hu- 
man, it had its end, which came when 
he was captured on one of his raiding 
expeditions on the Long Island coast. 

Marriner was one of the prizes the 

British were anxious to capture. He 

was obroxious to the New York mag- 

istra es, ard would not have been ex- 

■lai.. ed by General Clinton had not 

oloiiel Simcoe explained that he had 
?.ved his life, when a soldier was 
': out to 'layone him as he lay sense- 

-■ on the :round. After the close 
: ihe war. Marriner went to live in 

}w Yoik. where he kept a public 

.u.-e on John street, near Nassau. He 

e;'. m 1814, age 85, from injuries re- 
:^- ;)y 'leing thrown from his wa- 
gon. 

lairiner now introduces us to two 

01 e of New Brunswick's navy. On 
'.li] 1. l^Sl, the papers contained an 
account of the capture of a sloop off 
the Coney Island shore, by two whale 
boats. Marriner as usual was credit- 
ed with the act. to which he made a 
vigorous protest, which the following 
letter shows: 

Brunswick, April 24, '81. 
To Mr. Loring: 

Sir — In a New York paper it is said 
I was concerned in taking a sloop. 
Such a report is without foundation. I 
am on parole, which I shall give the 
strictest attention to. She was taken 
by Hyler £ind Dickie. 

Yours, etc., 
WILLIAM MARRINER. 

Captain Dickie was one of the as- 
sociates of iviarriner. He was fearless 
and commanded numerous expeditions, 
which left tnis city under the direc- 
tion of Marriner and later on by his 
-v.cresvov. Captain Hyler. He was not 
ns active as his associates, but could 
be depended on to carry out any in- 
3'ructions that were given to him. 

The rapture and parole of Marriner 
rem.oved him from all active participa- 
tion in any more raids, so one of the 
best known of New Brunswick's Re- 



volutionary names comes to the front. 
It is Captain Adam Hyler. He was 
one of the most daring American offi- 
cers in this part of the country, and 
had the rare laculty of infusing into 
his men his own spirit of venture and 
daring. His usual plan was to glide 
out of his hiding place, pass quickly 
down the river, make his captures and 
leturn . The enemy having heavier 
vessels, did not dare to follow, owing 
to the shallow and treacherous chan- 
nel of the river. A few of his exploits 
v>ill prove him to be a patriot whose 
memory should be perpetuated. 

On Sunday night, April 15, 1781, he 

ent over to Long Island and brought 
off a Hessian Major and ensign with 
heir waiters. The following week he 
raptured the pilot boat of Captain Da- 
vid Morris, and two other boats be- 
ween Robins Reef and Yellow Hook. 
Morris's boat was plundered and later 
on ransomed for $400. 

On June 14 he took two of his whale 
noats and visited Nicholas Schenck, a 
Tory, who lived about three miles 
south of Flatbush and took away every 
thing he could carry in the line of plate 
and money. On the same evening he 
surprised the guards at Captain 
Schenck's. He seized the arms, and 
after jesting with the guard, borrowed 
the silver spoons, took all the musk- 
ets and a few other articles and made 
one prisoner. He then sent the guard 
to report themselves to Colonel Axtell. 
On the night of August 4, 1781. Hyler 
.vith his wonted spirit of enterprise, 
went over to Long Island, marched 
about three and a half miles into the 
country, carried off Colonel Lott and 
two slaves. The colonel was known 

o be rich. His person and money 
were the objects desired. His cup- 
board was searched for money and 
-ome silver found. On further search 
two bags, supposed to contain about 

3.000 in gold, were discovered. In the 
morning, on their passage up the Rari- 
tan, Hyler and bis crew agreed to 
count and divide the guineas. The 
bags were opened and to tae mortifica- 
tion of the crew were found to contain 
only half-pennies, belonging to the 







church at Flatlands. A contented 
smile seemed to steal over the face of 
the colonel as he discovered that his 
guineas were safe at home. Hyler 
compelled the colonel to ransom his 
negroes when he returned home on 
parole. Captain Lott and John Han- 
Idns, a captain of a vessel, were also 
captured the same evening. 

The British were hot after Hyler and 
exerted every means to effect his cap- 
ture. On January 7, 1782, a party of in- 
fantry, under the command of Captain 
Beckwith, embarked in six boats from 
New York and arrived in New Bruns- 
wick about five o'clock the following 
morning, where they landed and 
brought off all of Hyler's boats. This 
was a hard blow to the venturesome 
captain, but a little thing like that did 
not discourage i..m. Not at all, he just 
went to work to rebuild his little navy 
and on February 21st he launche 1 a 
ne V boat, rowing thirty oars. Early 
in July we find him back at his old 
tricks again. On the eleventh of the 
month he captured two fish'n.;^ boats 
near tie Narrows. They were afttr- 
wards ransomed at one hundr-'si dol- 
lars each, I 

On July 21st, Hyh^r, with Captain 
Dickie, and three lar^-e twenty-louj- 
caied boats made an attack on th-^ gal- 
ley stationed at Princess Bay. There 
being little or no wind he came upon 
tlio enemy wiih a good deal of rcsolu- 
Tiori. but the British guns w^jre too 
heavy lor him. Captai^^ Cusnn.an. of 
the galley Lt.ition, gave him an '•-i'i!.'^- 
een pound shot, which went through 
the stern of one of the boats and ob- 
liged Huyler to put ashore on the Is- 
land, where after a sharp combat he 
was obliged to leave one of his boats 



and make the best of his way home 
with the other two. On his way up, 
John Altliouse, who had charge of a 
guard boat, spied the two boats under 
the South Amboy shore. It was calm. 
A twenty-four pound ball was sent 
through Hyler's boat, his crew was 
taken into Captain Dickie's and all 
made off for New Brunswick with Gen- 
eral Jacob Jackson, whom they cap- 
tured in bouth Bay and kept prisoner 
until he was ransom^ed. This was 
about the last raid that Hyler made, 
as he iccidentally wounded himself in 
the knee while cleaning his gun, which 
resulted in his aeath, Septem- 
ber, 6, 1782, after a tedious and 
painful illness, which he bore with all 
the fortitude of a soldier. His many 
enterprising acts endeared him to the 
patriotic portion of his acquaintances. 
He was survived by a wife and two 
children. His remains were interred 
with all the honors of war, in the 
Dutch graveyard. 

Hyler was at one time connected with 
the royal service. His death removed 
the principal leader from this band of 
free lances. His place was taken by 
Captain Storer, who was commissioned 
as the captain of a private boat of 
war. under the States. He promised 
fair to be a genuine successor of Hy- 
ler, but the spirit of venture in Hyler's 
men died with him. They either went 
i^.'^o the regular service or drifted to 
other scenes of excitement and it was 
not long before New Brunswick's small 
but active and destructive navy be- 
came a matter of unrecorded history. 
It deserved a better fate and the time 
has arrived when the deeds of New 
Brunswick's sons and their associates 
ought to be looked up and preserved 
for posterity. 



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